As is known in the art, a phased array antenna includes a plurality of radiating elements each with a phase shifter. Beam steering systems can control a direction of a main lobe of a radiation pattern of the radiating elements in the phased array antenna. Beam steering may be accomplished by switching the antenna elements or by changing the relative phases of RF signals driving the elements. For example, beams can be formed by shifting the phase of the signal emitted from each radiating element, to provide constructive/destructive interference so as to steer the beams in a desired direction.
Some conventional scalable beam steering control systems utilize a master and slave type configuration in which a master unit connects to multiple slave units. However, in such systems, the master unit does not directly connect or control the radiating elements of the phased array antenna. Instead, the master unit connects to the slave units and the master unit relies on the slave units to control the radiating elements of the phased array antenna. Thus, the master is additional circuitry that is needed to control the phased array antenna but does not control radiating elements. Further, the slave units connect to the master unit and do not connect with or communicate with other slave units in the beam steering control system.